Horror upon horror. You’ve just realised that you’re dealing with a dodgy real estate agent. As the reality of that sinks in, you begin to wonder how much of your own precious time and money that you’ve invested into a shady person who does NOT have your best interests at heart.
There are a number of different ways, each more sordid than the last, that you can be completely done over by a real estate agent. From shady under the table deals to outright blatant lies – this is a situation that you definitely DON’T want to find yourself in.
But when the hammer falls and you’re the victim, who do you turn to?
Real Estate Institute Queensland
REIQ is the peak body who have developed a standard of practice that they expect all members to abide by. Making a report to the REIQ means that they’ll prompt you to come to terms with a mediated decision – it does not necessarily mean that they will personally investigate your complaint.
This is an avenue to use if you’ve got an issue that’s quite low level (relatively speaking) that you’d like to be resolved. You can find information pertaining to making a complaint and taking action here.
The Office of Fair Trading
Seek impartial and fair advice from the Office of Fair Trading. This is where you can find out about all of your rights and responsibilities as well as what other parties SHOULD be doing (unless they’re dodgy, obviously). This can be a great starting point that will help you determine further action.
QCAT (Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal)
If things are getting serious and you need to see actionable results, working with QCAT might be exactly what you need to do. This is where you can lodge online forms, seek advice and perhaps advance legal proceedings if the situation warrants it.
Legal Advice from GOOD Lawyers
If you’re going down the legal route, do your due diligence by investigating the best potential law firm for you. We would advise (as a rule) against ‘ambulance chasers’ and recommend that you seek help from a reputable source. QCAT and The Office of Fair Trading will be able to help you with recommendations.
Dodgy Real Estate Agents – A Homeowner’s Worst Nightmare
This is supposed to be an exciting time but instead you’re being swindled. There is hope for you and you definitely don’t need to put up with ridiculous and illegal behaviour. Protect yourself, your family and your assets by getting on top of the problem now before it blows up in your face (and takes your wallet along with it).
